The Journey to Redemption
by Jawf94
Summary: It's been months since Sly disappeared, and Bentley has no leads to his location. Just when all hope seems lost, Bentley receives a letter from his former lover and friend, Penelope, who claims she wanted to make amends for her past actions. She says she has the perfect way to make things right, but gives no details. Suspicious, but also curious, Bentley decides to hear her out.


**I already have a story that is based on a similar concept to this, but this idea just came to me and I had to go with it. Honestly, I like this idea more, but I will continue the other one as well. **

Chapter 1: An Unexpected Lead

Penelope.

Ever since she escaped from prison, which was months ago now, I've been getting strange postcards with her mark on them. I haven't been able to figure out why she's been bothering with this, but lately I've received something else from her. Not a postcard, but a written request, something I never would have expected. There was no name or even a clue it was addressed to me, only her sign that I've seen marked on all the photos she's sent me. The letter read

_I'll be in Paris in the next few days, and I know you're there. I know you have no reason to trust me, but I want to make things right. You probably don't believe me, but I sincerely regret what I did, and I want to show that I've changed. If you give me the chance, I'll prove it to you. Meet me at The Spring, it's a restaurant in Paris, I'm sure you've heard of it. I've already made reservations, the 15__th__ of this month at 7 pm. Ask for the name Dekker at the reception, it's the family name. Don't worry, I'll pay for everything. Just don't order anything too expensive, alright?_

_ Hope to you see you there._

I have no idea what to make of this. The Spring is one of the nicer restaurants in the city, and since this is Paris we're talking about, it's some pretty impressive stuff. I definitely don't trust Penelope at this point, but we're going to be in a public place, so she certainly won't be able to try anything. After what she pulled, it's going to be difficult to earn my trust back, assuming her intentions are sincere. Still though, I'll see what she has to say.

* * *

It's the day that Penelope requested I meet her, and I'm on my way to the restaurant. I've been rather on edge recently, Sly has been missing for almost 6 months now, and we still have absolutely no trace of him. He could be anywhere, in any time period in existence. And now, on top of that, I have to face down the very woman that twisted my heart and broke it into a thousand pieces. Things have been just great lately.

I enter the restaurant, dressed in the proper formal attire, and approach the receptionist. Behind the receptionist's desk are two hallway, both of which leading to the eating area. The area is simple, yet quaint and elegant. It's not very extravagant, but Penelope was never the extravagant type. I approach the receptionist, who stands behind his stand and looks down upon me with an unimpressed, disinterested gaze, "Yes, may I help you?" He asks.

"Uh, yes I'm with a Miss Dekker."

"Ah yes, she mentioned someone would be coming. I'll show you to her," the uptight waiter heads through the door, and guides me through the restaurant. Unsurprisingly, the place is packed with customers. The receptionist leads me through a maze of bustling activity and finely dressed people, all the way to the back of the restaurant, in an isolated corner. There she sits, in a finely tailored black dress, her usual red bandanna absent for obvious formal reasons. She's looking at a menu, and doesn't put it down when I come to the table. "Can I get you anything sir?" A waiter asks.

"Just a water, thanks."

The waiter nods, and turns to Penelope. "Ma'am, are you ready to order?"

Penelope tells him the name of a French dish and manages to pronounce it perfectly. I didn't know she knew French, but it doesn't surprise me. After hearing the full order, the waiter backs away and leaves us. Penelope turns to me now, "So you actually came, I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show up."

"What are you doing here Penelope? Haven't you done enough?"

"I told you, I want to make things right, to apologize."

"So that's it? Just say the magic word and be absolved of all your sins? With what you pulled, you're going to have to do a lot better than that."

"I know, but I think I have a way to make up for everything," she puts the menu down now.

"Oh really? And what would that be?" I ask, doubtful.

"In a minute Bentley, but can't we just talk first? I don't like this hostility between us."

"You should have thought of that before you stabbed me in the back," the waiter arrives with my water, and places it on the table.

"I know it was awful, but I did it for you. And if it means anything, I feel nothing but regret. But if this is going to work, you're going to have to trust me."

"That's something you'll have to earn back Penelope, and you have a long way to go. Now stop wasting time and tell me why you really called me here."

Penelope sighs, and looks away. "Fine, I suppose I can't blame you for your impatience, I had hoped to have a civil conversation, but I guess that's just not possible right now. Oh well, you'll come around, I'll just get straight to the point." She looks back to me now, and after a brief moment of silence she finally speaks again. "I've found Sly."

There was nothing she could have said that would have struck me off guard more than that. I just stare at her, thinking I heard her wrong. "What?"  
"I said I've found Sly Cooper," Penelope repeated, sipping her red wine.

"What do you mean you found him? Where is he?"  
"The Caribbean, in the 1660's, the Golden Age of Piracy."

"H-how do you know?" I ask, completely distraught.

"Sly is a person who always wants to make a name for himself, wherever he is."

I raise an eyebrow, "So? I don't see your point."

She sighs again now, "Bentley you can be so naïve, all the other Coopers are well known for their exploits in the past, so if he was stuck in another time period, what makes you think he wouldn't be? I went on the internet, and searched 'Sly Cooper,' and found this." She reaches into her bag, takes out a book, and lays it on the table in front of me. "When Sly was sent into the past, he changed it Bentley, he left his mark." I look down at the book, and my eyes widen in amazement. The title reads 'The Life and Exploits of Sly Cooper, Infamous Pirate and Buccaneer.' "He was a legend Bentley, one of the most famous pirates ever to sail the Seven Seas, rivaled by his ancestor, who also happened to be a pirate. Go figure." She takes another sip of her wine, as I take the book and hold in my hands. I open the front cover, and inside is a portrait of Sly, in pirate attire. "Your ambitious friend gets trapped in the past, and you don't even bother to check the history books? Come on Bentley, I thought you were smarter than that," she grins playfully.

I have to admit, the thought never even crossed my mind. I take the water and drink half of it with one gulp; this encounter has made my throat dry. "That was a stroke of genius Penelope."

Her face lights up, "Finally, I get a sentence from you that's not soaked in animosity." I start leafing through the book, and after a few moments she speaks again. "So, are we even now?"

I think for a moment, and I can tell that she's on the edge of her seat waiting to hear my answer. "I have a proposal for you. You've given me the information, and that's a start. But, if you want to fully redeem yourself, you'll need to see this through to the end. I'm going to get everyone together, and you're coming with us. Once we arrive back in the present time, with Sly, consider us even."

Penelope thinks this over, and then nods her head, "I can do that."

"Are you going to be in Paris long?"

"I can get a hotel room."

"Good, I'll tell everyone to meet here in a week." I reach out my hand with the book, "You want this back?"

"I already read it, you keep it. Figure out the best time for us to go back to get him." She pauses for a moment, like she's thinking about something. "Bentley, you really think the others will believe it if they know the information came from me?"

"That's why I'm not going to tell them until the day we leave."

"Sly," she replies, smiling.

"What about him?"

"What? No I was saying that you're clever," she clarifies.

"Oh," I say, understanding now. "Well then, I'll guess I'll see you in a week."

"I guess so," she nods. I finish the water, and turn to wheel away. "Oh and Bentley," I stop and turn back to see her with a genuine smile on her face. "Thanks."

"Thank me when it's done," I reply, and I exit the restaurant without another word.


End file.
